Okemah Public Schools

S.L. O'Bannon was the teacher in the first school, which was opened in 1902 with funds gained by subscription, and classes were held at a store building.  The first public school was opened with D.L.Z. Chitwood as Superintendent in 1904 in a store building/buildings at 6th and Broadway.  Noble School was completed in 1907 and named for Miss Mae Noble in 1929. Okemah High School gained accreditation in 1912 and met in the old Noble School building until the building of 1918 was erected.

The History Exchange

Okemah Public Schools currently serves approximately 750 students at four sites. Oakes Elementary serves students in grades Pre-K through 3rd grade. Okemah Noble Upper Elementary serves 4th and 5th grade. Okemah Middle School serves 6th – 8th grade, and Okemah High School serves 9th-12th grade. The mascot of OPS is the Panther, and the school colors are black and old gold.

Okemah Schools From the Beginning

• 1902     Wilson School, 915 E. Atlanta
• 1907     Original Gr-JH-HS (Current Noble site)
• 1917     Mae Noble started teaching
• 1918     Original High School
• 1921     Original junior high school
• 1925     Lincoln School
• 1929     Building Dedicated/Named Noble Elementary
• 1938     Current Noble School replacement
• 1941     Band-Shop Building (Rock Building)
• 1948     Vocational Agriculture building
• 1949     Vocational Home Ec. / Cafeteria Building (2nd and Date)
• 1961     Second high school (current middle school at 2nd and Date)
• 1969     Oakes Elementary School (Closed Noble School) (cafeteria, offices and 16 classrooms)
• 1978     West addition to Oakes (added four classrooms)
• 1981     North addition to Oakes (added four classrooms)
• 1982     Okemah Multipurpose Building at OHS/OMS campus
• 1982     Noble building reopened at Okemah Noble Middle School
• 1987     West and South portables at Oakes
• 1992     South and West portables at Oakes, two classrooms and an office
• 1993     Ray Holman building (vo. ag., home ec., art)
• 2001     New high school (704 E. Date St.)
• 2001     Noble building closed; OMS moved to old high school and building renamed Okemah Middle School
• 2007     Okemah Panther Dome opened (East Date St.)
• 2007     New vocational agriculture building at site of new high school
• 2009     OPS obtained CIA softball complex across from new high school
• 2011     Major renovation to NE softball field
• 2011     New hitting facility and locker room at softball field
• 2014     New fine arts building at OHS site
• 2014     New track opened
• 2018     New multipurpose building at Oakes and new library at OMS opened
• 2018-2019     New Tony Dean Baseball Facility completed and opened
• 2021-2022     Renovation of OHS library; upgrades to Oakes and OMS libraries
• 2021-2022     Resurfacing of baseball field at Pecan Bowl
• 2022-2023     Replacement of flooring in numerous classrooms
• 2023     Renovation of football fieldhouse; renovation of former vocational carpentry building; renovation of OMS gym and  locker rooms     
• 2023     Upgrade of bleachers at softball complex; installation of new backstop and safety netting on main field at softball complex
• 2024     New floor installed in Panther Dome
• 2024     Renovation/new flooring in Pecan Bowl pressbox; renovation and modernization of Pecan Bowl concession stand
• 2025     Track resurfaced 
• 2025     New bullpens installed at baseball field